


Causal Nexus

by Arya_Silvertongue



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Everybody Loves Kitty Pryde, F/M, OP Kitty Pryde, Post-X-Men: Days of Future Past, Time Travel, X-Men versus Avengers (ish)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-11-11 07:11:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11143434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arya_Silvertongue/pseuds/Arya_Silvertongue
Summary: Logan's trip to change the past does nothing to stop Kitty's mutation from evolving.In this new, Sentinel-free world, the X-men race against time as one of their own grapples with her new abilities to manipulate the very fabric of reality.





	1. Through Time And Space

 

Kitty Pryde is having a _very weird_ day.

 

 

To be fair, -weird- is pretty subjective and quite rare within the mansion; but the odds of experiencing the things Kitty has experienced all in just one morning are pretty astronomical. And Kitty should know; she’s teaching Introduction to Astronomy.

 

 

First, Colossus ambushes her at 5:30 in the morning; begging her to have him sit in with her Geometry class because his sister told him that Kurt told her that Jubes made him swear not to tell anyone that she heard Scott tell Jean that Professor Xavier was planning to have Piotr be the official guardian of the new kid Ellie Phimister.

Fortunately, whatever sexual tension that existed between Kitty and Piotr fizzled out the moment Illyana permanently claimed the spot directly to her right and declared herself Kitty’s best friend. (It pissed both Kurt and Bobby, but neither of them dared to cross the sorceress.)

Suffice to say, they both decided they were better off as friends. (which still doesn’t answer _exactly_ what sitting in her class would do to _not_ have him babysit the scary newcomer)

“Scott is scared of you,” was the Russian’s answer.

When she asked him what he’s planning to do _after_ her class ends, he simply shrugged.

 

 

The next odd thing to happen was not _really_   that odd when it first happened.

Because of her extensive physical training and the _absolute torture_ she went through with Logan, Kitty moves _wicked fast_ in the battlefield. But every 6 am on a school day when the bell rings and (most of) the kids are forced to wake up, Kitty is usually seen moving faster.

Which is why the little incident in the kitchen would not have registered as weird at all.

Only in retrospect – and because the list of weird things to happen this morning would be better off with three examples rather than two – Kitty remembered that Bobby was certainly acting a little off.

Now, Katherine Anne Pryde is many things: dancer, tech geek, ninja, and voted best teacher this year (after bribing the kids with sweets a week after the elections). However, she is also woman enough to admit that she ain’t worth shit in the kitchen.

Which is probably why Hank made her in-charge of _distributing_ breakfast instead of _making_ them.

Kurt was flipping pancakes and she was arranging the plates when Bobby came in. Her back was to the door and she was moving so fast that when it opened and she jumped, she knocked the stack of plates to her left. Bobby – bless his reflexes – instinctively dove in to catch them.

Right after that, some of the kids started coming in to get breakfast and the incident was quickly forgotten.

But looking back, Kitty remembered that the last two plates at the bottom of the pile were covered in ice and Bobby’s grip on her wrist was a little tight.

And she could have sworn she saw a dark look cloud his eyes for a moment.

 

 

The last weird thing that definitely sealed Kitty’s decision to call it a morning of weird things was Logan.

Okay. So Logan isn’t _exactly_  the weird thing itself, but his _behavior_ was.

Sure, the infamous Wolverine has never been the poster child for normal, but Kitty’s spent a huge amount of her pre-teen years with the man. She’ll know when something’s up.

 

 

“ _Shoot_ , sorry.”

It was about half an hour before lunch and she just came out of her Coding class and was on her way to speak with Charlie when she bumped into Logan who picked the exact same moment to leave the office.

For a full minute, they just stood there.

Kitty, who suddenly remembered that she was _quite_ in a hurry and was a little confused as to why none of them were moving, stepped to the left to let him pass. When she looked up, she noticed the stricken look on his face.

“Hey,” She moved to touch his arm and felt him _trembling_. “is everything alright?”

Her question snapped him out of his reverie and he turned to look at her; eyes still a little lost.

“Hey, kid.”

This made Kitty smirk. “You look like shit.”

Out of habit developed from years of banter, Logan raised a hand and mussed her hair.

“Hey, no fair!” Kitty shouted, knocking said hand off her head. “And stop calling me a kid, I’m a teacher in this institution.”

“Wait, you’re _teaching_ already?” She barely heard his incredulous question while she fixed her hair with her free arm. “How old even are you?”

When she was satisfied her hair was back in order, she gave him a confused look. “Just about a hundred classes, yeah.” She gestured towards the thick folders tucked in her left arm. “And you gave me an _arsenal_ for my birthday, asshat. Pretending to forget will not make Charlie forget. By the way, is he in there? I need to talk to him.”

“Yeah he’s…in there.”

“Okay. Great,” Kitty replied. When she opened the door, she paused and turned back to Logan. “Also, if you see Pyro outside, please tell him to stop encouraging Lockheed. If another kid ends up with toasted clothes, Scott’s gonna be forced to give me that annoying stern look he has and I won’t be able to complain ‘coz he’ll have a good reason to.  Okay, thanks!”

The last thing she saw before she closed the door was the weird look on Logan’s face.

Something like amusement, grief, and confusion rolled into one.

 

-

 

Lunch was generally uneventful.

Most of the kids usually eat outside while the ‘adults’ huddled together in the dining room. Jean and Scott had to run an errand; which would probably explain why Logan took Cyclops’ usual spot to the right of Professor Xavier. The rest sat where they usually sat; with Kitty in between Kurt and Bobby, who sat next to Rogue.

“Uh.. Kätzchen?” Kitty felt Kurt gently nudging her with his elbow. “Problem?”

It was then when she became aware of how long she’s been glaring at Logan. The man basically spent the entire time not-so-subtly glancing between her, Bobby, and Rogue.  

“ _That’s it!_ ” she muttered before standing up. But before she can march towards Logan and give him a piece of her mind, all hell broke loose.

The door to the dining room was violently flung open; followed by a blur of yellow and the distinct sound of children laughing. Jubilee glided inside, with three kids pushing her and her roller blades forward. With what can only be called _graceful chaos_ , they crashed unto Piotr, who just came out of the door to the kitchen carrying a half-empty plate. Upon collision, he dropped said plate and it landed in the middle of the dining table; right into Kurt’s chicken casserole. If that wasn’t enough, one of the kids currently climbing on Jubilee’s back threw a _freaking frisbee_ that hit Ororo in the face; making her stumble backwards, through the window, and into the front yard.

The little girl, whose mutation is super strength, smiled from her place on Jubilee’s shoulders. “Ooops.”

Kitty, frozen to her spot and just as bewildered as the rest of them, remained standing. Beside her, Bobby huffed.

“Can someone tell me what just ha-”

Before she can hear the rest of that sentence, Kitty staggered backwards. Her vision tunneled and she can feel her entire body disincorporate. The last thing she sees is Storm flying back into her chair before she herself is pushed back into a sitting position.

“…woke up earlier than usual, no need to fret.”

Everything was back to normal. She can even see Piotr walking around the kitchen.

Kurt, who stopped talking when he noticed she wasn’t listening, nudged her with his elbow. “Kätzchen? Problem?”

On instinct, she stood up and ran across the table. Right on time, Jubilee and the kids came in. Before the great crash can happen, she moves one hand to block the vampire and the other to steer Colossus out of the way. Despite all that, the girl beside Jubilee still flung the bright pink frisbee into the air. Phasing through everything on the way, Kitty touched Storm, allowing the flying disc to pass through her. Catching the frisbee with her right hand, the whole thing ended with Kitty holding the thing in the air; half of her arm sticking out the closed window.

“Yep,” she sighed when all eyes fell on her. “ _definitely_ a weird day.”

 

ooooOoooo


	2. Breaking The Ice

 

Bobby woke up with a massive headache.

 

He could barely open his eyes and moving his head only increases the pain.  

When he was finally able to sit up, he glanced at the clock on his bedside table.

 

 

**4:46 am**

 

 

“Kurt?”

He heard a pop and suddenly, his roommate appeared on the bed across from him. “ _Ja_?”

Smiling somehow made the headache even worse. He raised a hand to his throbbing head.

“Bobby?” Another pop and Bobby found Kurt in a lotus position at the foot of his bed. “Is something wrong?”

He slowly shook his head and shifted his gaze at the window.

“You’re up early today, elf.”

“Well, you know me.” Kurt teleported back to his own bed and sat in front of Bobby. “I like to wake up when the sky is the same color as me.”

This made Bobby laugh. Surprisingly, the headache was almost gone that the movement brought no wave of pain.

“And…well, _you_ woke me up.”

Bobby looked at his friend. “I did?”

“ _Ja._ You were having a nightmare, I guess. You almost froze your entire bed.”

Bobby then noticed that his sheets were drenched. The carpet around his area was also wet.

“You kept muttering about a _mädchen_ losing too much blood.” Kurt leveled him a strong gaze. “What _were_ you dreaming about, Bobby?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, buddy. Can’t remember.”

Kurt’s serious expression turned mischievous and a smirk broke across his face. Bobby was quick to catch on.

“NO!” he yelled. “God, Kurt. You are the _worst_.”

His roommate fell back to his bed, laughing.

“I _really_ need a new room.”

“Lighten up, my friend,” Kurt replied. “I am the best roommate you are ever going to have around here.”

“Yeah, how’s that?”

Kurt started to tick off points on his fingers. “Well first, we share the same bestfriend. And second, you are dating my _sort of_ sister. These things can come in handy.”

Another pop echoed across the room when Bobby hurled a pillow towards the German boy.

 

 

 

Tuesdays meant that Bobby has no classes in the afternoon.

So after that whole fiasco in the dining room during lunch, he decided that a little breather in the patio seemed like a good idea.

Only when he arrived, he found Logan sitting on the ledge; staring at the empty front yard.

“Yo,” he greeted, taking a seat next to the older mutant.

When Logan turned to him, an amused look crossed his face.

“Huh. You sure look younger without the -” He made sweeping gesture with his right hand all over his jaw. When Bobby raised an eyebrow, he seemed to deflate. “Nothing, never mind.”

Bobby placed a comforting hand on his former teacher’s shoulder. “Is there something wrong, Logan?”

Logan scoffed. “Why, ‘coz I’ve been walking around all day like a drugged zombie?”

“Yes. Because you’ve been walking around all day like some drugged zombie.”

The younger guy proceeded to balance himself in a cross-legged position and blew into his hands; creating a puff of cold air despite them being under the scorching sun.

“So which is it: Jean issues or Storm problems?”

“Wha- huh?”  Logan jumped a good few inches away from Bobby. “What the hell are you talking about?!”

It took a lot of self-control for Bobby to stop himself from laughing out loud. “Seriously, dude. Your love problems aren’t exactly a well-kept secret around here. Jubilee talks about it all the time.” He shrugged. “Some of the younger kids, too.”

“Something’s seriously wrong with you people,” Logan muttered. Slowly, a small grin escaped his lips. “I’m missing out on a lot, huh.”

“What do you mean?”

 “Nothing, kid.” He shook his head. “Just too many memories. Hard to know which ones are real sometimes.”

To break the tension, Bobby landed a light punch on Logan’s arm. “Old age finally catching up to you, huh, old man?”

The statement got a chuckle from Logan. “You spend too much time with Kitty.”

Bobby’s smile faltered; a detail Logan did not miss. What followed was a series of throat-clearing from both men; which just made the situation _more_ awkward.

“So, uh…you and Rogue, huh?”

“What?” He shot Logan a confused look. “What _about_ me and Rogue?”

“You two…you know, you’re together?”

“You mean are we _dating_?” Bobby scoffed. “You’ve known for months now, Logan. Your memory can’t be _that_ bad.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

When Logan started to fiddle with his knuckles, Bobby had half a mind to run before the man can skewer him for being a _smartass_.

“So, uh…are you guys serious or somethi-”

“Oh COME ON!” Bobby threw his arms in the air in exasperation. “You weren’t like this when we told everybody.” The dark look he sent Logan made the older guy shrug in fake nonchalance. “In fact, you only get like this when Kitty’s dating life is brought up.”

“ _Relax_.” Logan raised his hands as if to surrender. “ I’m just messin’ with you, kid.”

Bobby sighed loudly and brought his right leg to his chest. “I guess I really don’t know how long this thing we have will last, either.”

Logan gave him a sideways glance; as if waiting for him to continue.

“I mean- I care about Rogue, I really do. But when she closes herself off -” He shrugs. “It’s becoming difficult for me to get to her.”

For a moment, Bobby thought Logan might say something to comfort him. But whatever it was he felt he had to say was quickly dismissed and he waved his moping with another shrug.

“I still think you guys are too young to date, anyways.”

Bobby glared at his old mentor.

“I’m 20, Logan. Now, that may be _too young_ compared to how old you are- _ow_!” He was interrupted with a whack to the head. “-but trust me, that’s definitely old enough to date.”

When he saw movement from the parlor room through the window, Bobby immediately brightened. “And Kitty started teaching last year!” He crossed his arms and grinned at the man beside him. “Time may have passed you by so you probably didn’t notice, but we’re all growing up, my friend.”

Logan just smiled and ran a hand through his sideburns. “Trust me, kid. You did not _grow up_ in my eyes.”

A few minutes passed by without any of them speaking. Logan, who noticed Bobby sneaking glances at something behind him, turned and saw Kitty sitting in the parlor room.

“Okay, I was _not_ staring.”

“Sure.” He leveled Bobby a stern gaze. “And what’s wrong if you _were_ , anyway?” When Bobby just scowled, Logan narrowed his eyes at him. “Are you saying you and Kitty-”

“WHOA- back up, Logan! You do _not_ wanna go there! Kitty’s my _bestfriend!?”_

He nearly fell off the ledge when his right foot slipped and he found himself moving further away from Logan.

“I’m _telling_ you, kid, if you have plans of cheating on Rogue with _Kitty_ of all people then-” Bobby saw the claws pop out of Logan’s right hand and he can only stare at it in horror. “-you know what, I knew I never liked it when you two got together the first time! I just-”

“LOGAN STOP! There’s _nothing_ going on between me and Kitty! I _SWEAR!”_

When Logan retracted his claws and seemed to have calmed down, Bobby heaved a sigh of relief and glanced at the ice that now crawled along the ledge surrounding half the patio.

“You have _got_ to work on that temper,” the younger mutant muttered. “And I was just worried about Kitty.”

That got Logan’s attention, and they both ended up looking at Kitty as she worked on her computer. “Worried? Why?”

Bobby shrugged. “I don’t really know. I woke up with a nasty headache and the feeling that Kitty’s in danger. I probably even freaked her out in the kitchen this morning, when I froze half the plates she was stacking.” He looked up to catch Logan’s eyes when he turned to listen to him, but they were unreadable. “And you were there during lunch. She seemed upset when she left.”

The next few moments were spent in silence; just the two of them looking at the grass.

Bobby broke the silence when he heaved another sigh, this time weary.

“I’m not sure what, but– something’s changed today.”

ooooOoooo


	3. Unexpected Visitors

 

“Kitty, you’re a _genius_!”

 

Fridays are Kitty’s favorite. Everyone gets to go outside and play games (even Scott stops badgering young, brilliant, and gorgeous teachers about their unorthodox teaching methods), Kurt is assigned to make delicious snacks, and most important of all, Katherine Pryde gets to lounge around the living room, doing nothing but industrial espionage with hacking the likes of, say, _S.H.I.E.L.D. Database_ , perhaps?

 

Right now, said Katherine Pryde gave Hank a smug look. “ Yeah, yeah. Did I mention I can _walk through walls_ too?”

McCoy gladly took the laptop from Kitty and mussed the hair of the young woman lying on the couch.

“THAT’S IT!” Kitty yelled, swatting the big, blue hand out of her head. “I should start wearing my hair in pigtails. _Tight pigtails._ ” She shot Hank an angry glare. “This abuse has _got_ to stop.”

Her former teacher – now colleague – could only laugh at her statement. “The original perpetrator of the abuse is in the other room. Go bother him. He looks busy.”

They shared a conspiratorial glance before Hank left. With a smirk, Kitty stood up and made a beeline for the library.

 

 

 

“You’re _still_ reading?”

She found Logan on one of the tables, eyes glued to a laptop screen with stacks of books and countless files spread out before him.

When he gave no reply, she took a chair and decided to sit in front of him.

“You’ve been reading since Tuesday. _What_ are you up to?”

It took a few moments before Logan acknowledged her presence. When he looked up to her, Kitty saw it again - the weird, sad, and foreign look on her old mentor’s eyes.

Before she can inquire about his well-being, someone else entered the library.

“Well if it isn’t my two favorite people in the world!”

Jubilee skipped towards them and sat on the nearest table. As she noticed the papers and books scattered between Kitty and Logan, she, too, raised an eyebrow.

“ ‘You about to take a test, or something?”

Kitty raised her shoulders and gave Logan a funny look, as if to say, _See?_

“If even Jubilee thinks this is weird, then something _is_ happening – no offense, Jubes.”

“Sure thing, K.”

“So…” Kitty leaned back and crossed her arms, the same ‘interrogation look’ Logan taught him a few years back. “…spit it out, old man. What’s up?”

Logan closed his laptop and darted his eyes back and forth between the expectant looks the two girls were giving him.

Kitty, who thought he was close to breaking, shared a look with Jubilee and slowly found herself leaning on the table.

A few moments passed and the only thing Logan gave them was a sigh and a scowl. “You brats leave me alone. Go out and bother Scott, or something.”

“Seriously?!”

“Whatever,” Jubilee said as she fiddled with her amulet, “you’re no fun today. C’mon, K! Let’s join the others. Interesting game a while ago, wouldn’t you say?”

Kitty glared at the younger girl. “I told you to _drop it_ , didn’t I? You’re the only who found it funny, anyway.”

“It’s ‘coz _it is_!” Jubilee insisted. “You should’ve been there, Logan! James and Roberto – on the same team –   _both_ dove in to block the ball about to hit Kitty. And she was _goalie_ for the other team, too! When does _that_ happen?!”

“When was this?”

“Don’t listen to her, Logan. I’m _serious_ , Jubes. You should really drop it.”

Jubilee placed both her hands behind her and leaned back, giving Kitty a scrutinizing look. “Are you saying _both_ Warpath and Sunspot have the hots for you?”

Kitty’s eyebrows all but disappeared to her hairline. “That’s _ridiculous_!”

“How else would you-”

“James is with _Clarice_ , for Pete’s sake! And I barely even talk to da Costa!”

Kitty took a deep breath, before her temper could get the better of her. _Breathe In, Breathe Out_ , was Charlie’s instruction.

Standing up, she brushed whatever dust that may have settled on her jeans and gave two of her closest and dearest friends a final glare. “You’re both _impossible_.”

 

 

 

It was raining heavily outside.

Kitty, who pleaded with Ororo over dinner to ‘do something’ about the storm (she refused), continued to glare at the endless pitter-pattering on the window of her room. The blonde who sat on the bed across from hers shot Kitty a worried glance.

“Just tell Storm it is bothering you. We both know she will do it immediately.”

Kitty sighed and proceeded to sit on her own bed. “They don’t know that it still…..bothers me.”

Illyana crossed her arms. “Well they should,” she insisted, “You look like a _ghost_.”

Ignoring the remark, Kitty took a deep breath and tried to give her bestfriend a teasing look. “You look comfortable on that bed. You’re right where you belong.”

Illyana shook her head, knowing very well that the brunette was just trying to change the subject. Not wanting to pry, she turned her attention to the cluttered and colorful mess on the bed she was currently occupying.

“How does Jubilee find anything in this mess?”

Kitty shrugged. “Beats me.”

Illyana, suddenly growing self-conscious, slowly began to shove as many items as she can away from her black catsuit. “Why do you continue to share quarters with her, anyway?”

“She’s not that bad, Illyana,” Kitty assured her with a small laugh.

“The Professor told me he offered you a bigger room when you started to teach. I don’t understand why you would refuse.”

The question was sincere and without malice. Kitty knew that while Illyana is slowly adapting to the different personalities of everyone in the mansion, the blonde still divided the world into three parts: Piotr, Kitty, and everybody else.

“Jubilee is a challenge, sure.” She laughed at Illyana’s reaction to the understatement. “So are you, don’t deny it. But- well, she kind of _imprinted_ on me right after she got over her jealousy phase. And she’s Logan’s trainee now. That _may have_ made me semi-in charge of her, in a way.”

Illyana eyed her carefully. “Is that why you never wore your necklace again?”

On instinct, Kitty placed a hand on her collarbone, remembering the silver locket her grandma gave her when she was little.

“I can’t just walk around wearing something that will harm my roommate, can I?”

When Illyana shrugged, completely unbothered by the idea, Kitty threw a huge pillow that hit the sorceress on the face.

Before the blonde could retaliate, someone knocked on the door.

“Ororo?” Surprised, Kitty shot Illyana a quick glance, silently begging her to keep the storm issue from the storm goddess.

“Kitten. Magik.” Ororo and Illyana acknowledged each other with a quick nod before the older woman turned her attention to Kitty. “You should come downstairs.”

Confused, Kitty was lucky to have grabbed something to keep her warm before Illyana dragged her out of the room.

 

 

 

“Okay, whatever it is, I’m sure it’s Emma’s fault,” Kitty called out, struggling to keep up with both women while  helplessly trying to untangle herself from the mess that was her sweater.

As they bounded down the main staircase, Kitty caught a glimpse of Clarice and James by the library door, looking for all the world like worried parents. The bruise on Proudstar’s face from the morning’s soccer game was still very evident, and she tried to give him an awkward smile as they passed by the couple.

When they reached the living room, she noticed that most of the core team are present. Only when Erik stood up did she notice two kids sitting on the sofa, covered in thick towels.

“Hello!” Kitty smiled at the blonde, little girl whose eyes were fixed on her the moment she arrived. When the older boy she was with noticed Kitty, he stood up so quickly everyone was surprised.

“It’s you,” he exclaimed with something akin to reverence.

Kitty comically looked at Storm and Illyana who flanked her. “…me?”

The boy nodded eagerly.

“My name is Lucas, and this is my sister Shard. We’ve been looking for you.”

 


End file.
